


Forgotten

by Flameroyalty



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Camp Camp - Freeform, Dadvid AU, PREPARE TO BE HURT, adoption au, camp camp adoption au, dadvid, implied child neglect, prepare for pain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-28
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-12-07 23:34:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11634258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flameroyalty/pseuds/Flameroyalty
Summary: David checks his bags and asks Gwen, everything is here. Why did he still feel like he forgot something at camp?





	1. Forgotten

**Author's Note:**

> Made for a friend because we're both suckers for pain.  
> I've never posted from mobile so im sorry if the formatting is fucked.

  
It had been a busy day at Camp Campbell. Campers packing up any belongings they might have missed. Gwen and David clearing everything out for the next group that booked the grounds, as well as planning some songs for the trip. Max sat at his usual table in the mess hall, coming to terms with this year’s drop off. 

  
It was the first summer at camp since he started living with David. Being at camp wasn’t much different from home. He still had to deal with David’s excessive optimism and ridiculous crafts. He’s never had to make a bird feeder before. Maybe because he’s never lived anywhere close enough to nature to need one.

  
David’s place had a backyard. A real one, with grass and trees, and birds. No concrete. No weird chemical smell in the air. Not that he went outside much, but it was nice to look at sometimes.

  
As much as he hated to admit it, he liked staying with David. He liked having a place he knew he’d never be locked out of for a bad grade. A place where the worst punishment is helping David come up with his newest song. He liked having a place he knew he was going to after camp.

  
This would be the first year he didn’t have to sit on the curb until dark. He had a spot in the backseat of David’s car when he got off the bus.

  
Max grabs his bag off the bench and walks outside, ready to make a remark on how this was taking too long. He makes it outside just in time to watch the bus pull away without him.  
________________  
The bus ride went much better than both him and Gwen had expected. Sure, someone snuck the platypus on board. Of course, there were some protests when he brought out his guitar. Even so, David could not shake the idea that he had forgotten something. A tent, or maybe to check the pantry in the mess hall?

  
He looks through his pack and finds everything is in order. He asks Gwen and she confirms they got everything. Nikki and Neil seemed a bit off but he wrote it off as sadness for having to leave camp. Luckily Max was there to remind them that- Wait.  
Where was Max?

  
He begins to scan the bus but is unable to locate the boy. He feels his chest begin to ache and his breathing goes unsteady. He composes himself and goes over to the duo.  
He asks them if they know where Max has decided to hide himself before pulling one last trick of the summer. They assure him they have no idea where he is. He thanks them and begins to walk away when he hears Nikki comment that she didn’t even remember him getting on the bus.

  
David panics.  
________________  
Of fucking course. Nothing has changed. Why would it? He had to give it to David for creativity. Abandoning him at camp? Was this his punishment for breaking that lady’s window last month?

  
Was he becoming too much of a hassle for David? Or is that unimportant that fucking tents were more worthy of David’s attention than him?

  
It was beginning to get dark. Of course there’s no curb to sit and feel sorry for himself on, so he settles for a picnic table. He throws his bag on the table and heads for the mess hall. Lucky for him, there were still some granola bars in the pantry. Better than nothing. He returns to the table and begins to hear a voice.

  
He pulls his bag closer to himself. After a few more yells he identifies the voice as David’s. Of course. David was the last person he wanted to see. He drops his bag to the ground and crosses his arms.  
He’s never heard David yell this way. It was like a sad panic. He sounded, afraid. David was calling out for him. Max remained in his place, silent.

  
Serves him right, Max thought. David could look for him, he wasn’t going to help. Idiot.  
After a few more minutes, David comes into view. He wasn’t even out of his stupid counsellor outfit. His hair was sticking to his forehead. He was clearly running around, and tired. They make eye contact and Max quickly looks to the ground.  
_______________  
He shouts out to Max, hoping he could hear him from this far. He jogs his way over to the picnic table. Before he makes his way over, Max is already on his feet and walking towards him. He wasn't looking at David though. It was like he was looking through him. It was chilling. It had been a very long time since he'd seen that look on the boy's face.

  
"Max, I'm so thankful I found you. You have no idea how worried I was about you."  
Max does not break his pace, or even look at David. He simply walks past his guardian, towards the driveway. David follows behind him, continuing on,

  
"You should've seen everyone's faces when we realized you weren't on the bus. Gwen sure was upset. Many of your fellow campers were amused to see me react the way I did. I almost had us turn around right there and then. If there weren't so many parents waiting, we would've."

  
They make it to the car and Max throws his bag in the backseat and follows it in. David goes to the close the door but Max slams it before he can.

  
You would have to be blind to not see Max was mad, and David could blame nobody but himself. It was job at Camp Campbell to watch over the campers, and his job as Max's guardian to watch over him. He failed twice today.

  
"I'm just glad you're safe Max. You could've gotten lost, or hurt." David says as he gets in the car himself. "I am so sorry Max. I know there is very little I can do to convince of that."

  
"You're just like my dad." He hears mumbled into a sweater sleeve.


	2. Remembered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be up earlier but when I was almost done, I lost the whole thing and had to rewrite. Take this.

David adjusts his mirror so he can see Max, "What was that?" 

He was trying his hardest to keep his cheerful tone. He knew it was the best for both of them.He watches Max pull his knees up and look out the window. It was clear he had no intention of repeating himself. 

The comment repeated itself in David's head the entire trip home. It repeated itself when Max went straight to his room and didn't come down for dinner. It repeated itself as it began to get dark and David ate alone for the first time in months.

He wasn't like Max's father, was he? Max's parents were horrible to him. Neglectful, nasty people. Him and Max never had the perfect relationship, but that's to be expected. They had their share of fights but he's never treated him unfairly. 

They did have to miss out on one of Nikki's games to go to a parent-teacher meeting. He could've easily let Max go, he supposed, but he felt it was important for Max to hear what was being said about him. 

Was he beginning to isolate Max from his friends? Was bringing him along the wrong thing to do? Did Max see it as a punishment? Was he punishing Max too much? He used to have to put up with so much meaningless and harmful discipline. Was he subjecting Max to that all over again. 

Or was he not punishing Max enough? He still gets into all sorts of mischief but David just wrote that off as how Max is. He tries so hard to be better, but maybe he was making it worse.

They have been spending more time apart; what was Max up to when he wasn't around? He loves working at camp, no doubt about that, but it certainly doesn't pay enough to keep the two of them afloat. He's had to start picking up some odd jobs. He tries his hardest to only work during school hours but some times Max does have to spend a few hours at home alone. Was he beginning to be neglectful? 

Of course he was, he forgot Max at camp. How could he forget something so important? Max must have been so scared all alone, he's just a kid. He's so mature for his age, that sometimes David forgets. He had to grow up and take care of himself so fast. 

Maybe he wasn't right for Max. Max needs someone that can care for him no matter the circumstances. What if he wasn't cut out for this? As much as he wanted to ignore it, he kept finding ways he was similar to the people he worked so hard to get Max away from. 

He makes a small plate of dinner up and heads to Max's room. He taps on the door lightly but with no response. He slowly opens the door and steps inside. 

The lights were off and David could faintly see the outline of Max sleeping. Not wanting to disturb him, David sets the plate down on the desk as quietly as possible and heads for the door again. Hopefully Max will eat it if he wakes up later. 

As David grabs the doorknob, he hears the springs of the bed squeak, "David?" 

He turns and sees Max, sitting up now, rubbing his eyes. He was still in his camp shirt and sweater. It was as if he had gone to bed immediately. Max's voice was weak and tired. It was easy to tell he had been crying. 

David lets go of the door and walks over to the bed. He sits beside Max, "Yes Max?"

"I'm sorry." 

David sat there and stared at the boy. They both seemed to have been on quite the emotional rollercoaster today. Max never apologized for anything. No matter how bad. Even if being forced. 

'I'm not going to say it again." Max's voice brings David back to the conversation. "You're nothing like my dad. Both him and my mom were shitty people. They didn't give a fuck if I was dead or alive." 

"Max, I think there are more similarities th-"

"Would you shut up and let me finish? You came back for me at camp, and not because you had to. You just brought me a fucking plate of food after I ignored you. They would've starved me. They have starved me."

"But you're home alone so often."

"David, you moron. I know where money comes from. I might be a child but I'm not stupid. Besides, I'm home alone maybe twice a week. I'd rather that then our power cut out." 

"Max, I abandoned you at camp. If I'm that forgetful, I don't think I'm the right guardian for you." 

"Don't."

"You need someone more capable."

"Are you fucking kidding me David? For fucks sakes." Max shifts and wraps his arms around David's torso. He buries his face into his chest and mumbles, "Happy now?"

He could feel the tears coming on. He wraps his arms around Max and pulls tight. It was odd seeing Max so affectionate and caring. Maybe his positivity was finally starting to rub off. 

"You're nothing like my dad." Max says. "What you think is punishment is like a reward. Sometimes it's nice to not have you around. You don't need to be so anal about watching me. I don't think you're physically capable of being as much of a bastard as he was. So get over yourself."

Max pulls away from David, returning to his original place on the bed, "Oh god, are you crying?" 

"Yes!" David wails. "I'm so proud you for expressing your emotions in such a positive way."

"This is ridiculous, get the fuck out of my room."

David smiles and rises off the bed. He considers hugging Max again but knows not to push his luck right now. He heads towards the door again but turns around one last time.

"Max?"

"What?"

"Language."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I couldn't let them suffer the WHOLE time.


End file.
